Roger dropped Tabitha at the dating service and headed to DayzSeed and Chemical, Pluto the cat riding shotgun in his truck. He’d pay his condolences about Lisa and see if he could glean any information about what she was up to. On the way, he called Dirk Cotwell.
“You left a message to call. What’s up, Dirk?” he asked.
“I was hoping you could tell me where Trudy Wells has disappeared to,” Dirk said. “We were supposed to meet for dinner a couple of weeks ago. She never showed. I’ve left calls and messages for her at home and at Long Ag, but she doesn’t respond. I called your offices today and they said she hadn’t been into work for two weeks. Any idea what’s going on with her?”
“She did quit coming to work.” Roger tried to keep the details to a minimum without lying. If Dirk was somehow involved, Roger didn’t want to arouse his suspicions. It was probably a silly precaution, but since he didn’t know what had really happened to Trudy, he was playing his cards close to his vest.
“Why’d she quit?” Dirk asked.
“I don’t know. She didn’t say. She just stopped showing up.”
“Do you know where she went?”
Dirk’s question could truly be that of a man who had a romantic interest in Trudy—or it could be something more sinister. “I’m at a loss,” Roger said. “Did she mention anything to you? Any troubles with anyone? I heard you’d taken her to dinner a couple of times.” He couldn’t hide the disapproval in his voice.
“Yeah, we went to Memphis for some barbecue and then dancing at the local blues club a couple of times. She’s a fun girl. I’d hoped to spend a little more time with her.”
“Maybe she had a family illness or something,” Roger said. “Did she mention any family to you? I’d really like to know she’s okay and put that worry out of my head. She was showing real promise at her job, but if she isn’t coming back, I need to replace her.”
“She never said a word about family. All I know is that she was from a good New Orleans family that fell on hard times. Degree from Tulane. She was smart, but kind of a tumbleweed. She liked the finer things in life, but she was willing to work to have them. I mean she wasn’t spoiled, like some debutantes.”
Roger realized two things--that Dirk’s knowledge of Trudy came from her dating video and that Lily Kennedy, for all of her assets was wearing thin. Dirk Cotwell was, technically, single. And he did farm a vast track of land, though it was a combination of the Cotwell land and the Kennedy property—belonging to the family of his fiancée. Everyone in the Delta knew Dirk had asked Lily Kennedy to marry him, and that he was “marrying up” in Delta society. “Dirk, I have to ask. Why were you dating Trudy when you’re obligated to Lily?”
Dirk laughed. “Lily knows I’m not the kind of man to settle down. Besides, I’m just sowing a few wild oats before the bracelets are slapped on me.” He paused, then continued. “Lily’s family wants the marriage, and I’m happy to oblige. I’m not going to change who I am. I’ve been honest about that.”
“Were you honest with Trudy?” Roger drove down the straight Delta farm roads that cut through the fields. Corn, soybeans, cotton—it was all coming up. So far the perfect weather had worked in favor of all farmers. How long would that last? No one knew.
“I never led her to expect more than an evening’s pleasure.” Dirk was beginning to sound a little testy. “I like my fun but I’m not a cad.”
Reading between the lines, Roger knew exactly how Dirk had played his hand. He’d wowed Trudy with fun dates but never intimated that he was interested in more than momentary fun. He’d never pressure her for more than she would willingly offer. To give the devil his due, Dirk had never pretended to be other than what he was—a hardworking farmer with a broad streak of partying. Roger didn’t judge Dirk’s choices, but there was more on the line than how Dirk led his life. A young woman was missing, and Roger had to admit—if only to himself—that he cared that Tabitha wasn’t hurt. “Did you tell Trudy you were engaged?”
“Didn’t have to. The gossips in Sunflower County were happy to oblige. She knew. Trust me, she knew and she didn’t care anymore than I did.”
“So, Trudy knew.” But Roger was willing to bet Lily didn’t. Delta society closed around young women to protect them from “the harsh realities of life.” While people might tell Trudy the score about Dirk’s playboy ways, it was probable they’d held their tongues around Lily Kennedy and her family. “Is it possible Trudy felt she was getting too emotionally involved with you and decided to leave on her own?”
“I know you don’t approve of my behavior, Roger, but the girl knew the score. I never led her on. If she took off for greener pastures, it wasn’t because she understood our relationship wasn’t going anywhere. What we had was casual and fun. A few bands and bars, some dinners…nothing more. Trudy came across as…easy, but that wasn’t the case. She wasn’t a floozy and we only had fun, not an intimate relationship. Hell, she wanted to talk about cotton all the time. So don’t start building scenarios in your head where I harmed that girl for any reason.”
Roger knew he’d pushed as hard as he could. For the moment. And he’d learned something valuable. Trudy was working Dirk. Maybe she liked him, but she was interested in his cotton crop. Because she was working under cover for an environmental group. It wasn’t Dirk the group was after, but the seed and chemical companies. “Any idea if she was seeing anyone else?”
“Never came up. Like I said, I didn’t have a claim on her or her time. Hey, are you pleased with the new cotton? That G9-14? It’s coming up like gangbusters.”
Roger had a hunch. “I need to check the fields. I’ve been busy with family, and I’ve fallen behind. To be honest, Trudy was keeping up with all of that for me. Which fields did you plant with it?”
“The Thornbrush field. I should have planted more. Lisa East knew what she was talking about when she talked up the seed.”
Roger couldn’t avoid telling Dirk the truth that he was bound to hear about at any hour. “When was the last time you talked to Lisa?” Roger was almost at DayZSeed, and he slowed to a crawl on the empty road. The cat had curled into a black ball on the seat, but he sat up and looked out the window when Roger slowed.
“Couple of weeks, why? Don’t tell me she’s missing too. Those girls were friends, though. I didn’t think of that. Could be off somewhere partying.”
“Lisa was murdered, Dirk. They found her body yesterday.”
“Murdered? What the hell is going on?” Dirk scoffed. “So this is why all the concern for Trudy. Lisa is dead and Trudy is missing. And I have connections to both of them.”
“That’s true, Dirk. But so do I,” Roger said. “Every farmer around here links to Lisa.”
“I may like my good times, but I don’t hurt women,” Dirk said. “You can take that to the bank.”
Roger turned down the narrow road that led to the seed company. Dirk Cotwell—if he was telling the complete truth—had been a fountain of information. “I never meant to imply anything. Just keeping you apprised, and I am worried about Trudy. She and Lisa were friends, as you pointed out. Should you hear from Trudy, ask her to please call me.”
“I just remembered something. There was a sales rep from the Grundle Seed Company asking questions about Trudy. That’s the parent company of the G9-14, isn’t it?”
Roger pulled into the parking lot of DayZSeed and stopped his truck. “Who was it? Do you remember his name?” He fought to keep his question casual and easy. Pluto put his paws on the dash of the truck and flicked his tail back and forth, his gaze focused on the building.
Dirk kept talking. “Didn’t know the guy. He wasn’t local. Came in for the G9-14 presentation last fall. More of a salesman than a farmer, I’d say. He showed back up in the area a month or so back. He seemed to have a big interest in Trudy. At first, I assumed it was romantic in nature.”
“How’d he run up on Trudy?” It seemed that Dirk knew a lot more about his employee than Roger did.
“They met up in some field. I thought it might be your property off the Hollow Road. Apparently Trudy got under his skin with some questions. That’s the talk I heard.”
“Do you mind telling me who was talking?”
“No can do. Sorry. I gotta live around here too, and Martin Kennedy is not a man who likes a troublemaker. Lily and I set the date for the wedding and I’m not going to mess in my own nest. Folks think I have it made, but you know Lily. She’s…difficult.”
Roger had dated her for a brief period, and he knew. “Difficult and demanding. I know. Thanks,” Roger said.
“Check your fields and let me know what you think about that new cotton. So far it’s looking great. If it’s resistant to pests like they advertise, we may have a real winner.”
“Sure thing.” Roger clicked the phone off and sat in the truck, motor running. Instead of going into the seed company, he whipped the truck around and drove toward his own fields. He was about to turn off the main road when a cute blue sports car came toward him, horn blaring. Speak of the devil. He recognized Lily Kennedy.
She whipped to a halt in front of his truck and got out. The sun struck her honey-blond hair as she came toward him. She was truly a beautiful woman.
“Roger!” She rushed up as he got out of the truck and hugged him. “You’re a hard man to track down.” She looked past him at the cat on the front seat. “Most farmers travel with a dog. I applaud your originality.”
He chuckled. Lily was a live wire. Dirk might think she couldn’t tame him, but Roger was putting his money on Lily. “Why are you looking for me?”
“I’m throwing a surprise party for Dirk, and I need you to help me get him there without giving away the surprise.”
“That could be a challenge. What are the particulars?”
“Saturday, 8 o’clock at The Club. It’s a cocktail party to celebrate our engagement.”
“Wouldn’t it be simpler to just tell Dirk?”
“But not nearly as much fun.” Lily laughed out loud. “He might as well get used to the fact that smart women manipulate their men.”
“So I’ve heard.” Roger had never bought into that particular method of building a relationship, but he saw plenty of it. “I’ll do my best, Lily. I do wish you both all the happiness. Dirk is a handful, but he’s got a good heart. I believe you do too.”
“Thanks, Roger. I know Daddy is relieved to have a man to take over the farming so I ‘don’t have to worry my pretty little head.’” She put a hand on his chest. “Daddy says you’re the smartest farmer in the Delta. He’s eager to see how that new cotton seed produces. He goes on and on about that kind of thing, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. He says you’re going to beat all the other farmers because you innovate.”
“Farmers always have to complain about something,” Roger said. “Tell him thanks. He’s got a good farmer in Dirk. He knows that too.”
“Of course. So you’ll have him at The Club? I can count on you?”
“I’ll give it my best shot.”
“Tell your aunt and uncle I send my love! They’re invited, too, of course. The invitations will be hand delivered.”
“It’s on my calendar.” Roger got back in his truck. Lily was lovely, and smart. And determined to have her way. Thank goodness she hadn’t set her sights on him.
He headed toward the fields, his mind back on the cotton. He’d planted a few hundred acres in the new seed. It wasn’t a huge tract, but if it was bust, it would hurt him financially. Trudy hadn’t been enthusiastic about the new seed. She’d studied the statistics on the G9-14 and had urged him to go slowly.
“These modified seeds have a good showing. At first,” she’d said. He could see her standing in front of his desk, hands tucked in the pockets of her jeans. “It’ll be September, near harvest, before we know the yield. What really concerns me is if there’s any residual effect in the soil from this. No one has really studied that aspect of these GMO crops.”
Instead of really listening to her, he’d answered, “We have to try new things, Trudy. This land has been farmed for nearly two hundred years now. New crops offer replenishment to the soil as well as resistance to pests.”
“Perhaps.” Trudy had met his gaze with a level one of her own. “Science is wonderful, Roger. Sometimes. If something sounds too good to be true, maybe it’s best to believe it isn’t true.”
The image of Trudy faded, and he cut through the local roads that were the grid for farmers and ended up in the field where the new cotton had jumped up in the last week. It was twice as tall as the other cotton he’d planted, and the leaves were lush and green. Any farmer would be crazy not to be excited about the new seed. “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” He could hear Trudy’s voice.
The cotton was more than any farmer could ask for, and he drove slowly around the field, taking a look from all angles. The crop looked better than he had any reason to expect. When he came to an equipment trail that wound around the field and disappeared into a thick brake, he hesitated. The ground was rutted. A vehicle had been through there. And as far as Roger knew, none of his employees had cause to be in that part of the farm. He shifted down for traction and started along the farm road when his phone rang.
“Roger!” Charline was breathless. “Please come home. I hate to interrupt your day but Hannah and Samuel are at each other’s throats. Antoine has decided he wants to control Hannah’s share of the farm. He claims he’s an expert at cotton, and he’s gotten Samuel very upset.”
“Antoine is a farmer?” The more likely word applied to the man would be gigolo or fraud. Or at the kindest, dandy. He looked more the type to be at an opera or fashion show rather than a field. Antoine was all polish—from his cuff links and ascot to his high-gloss wingtips. Roger couldn’t imagine him driving a combine or tractor or even stepping foot into a field.
“He says he’s an expert.” Charline sounded way too stressed. “Roger, Hannah is going to give Samuel a fit. It’s like she wants to drive us away from her. Can you come?”
“I’m on the way. Aunt Charline, would you mind calling the ag office and asking Felicity to pick up Tabitha? She’s running an errand for me. Just give her Tabitha’s cell phone so they can rendezvous.” He didn’t want to reveal the dating site unless he had to.
“I’ll do it.”
“I’m on my way. Tell Mother to pack her bags. And why don’t you book two tickets to Monaco for her and Antoine. I’ll send one of the men to drive them to the Memphis airport if I have to.”
“They have a rental. They can drive themselves,” Charline said. “And you should know, Roger, they’ve been in the area for several weeks, snooping around and prying into the family’s business. They were staying at the Peabody in Memphis and Antoine said something about dining at the Prince Albert and how good the food was for such “a provincial little burg.”
“Maybe Samuel should buy out Mother’s share.” Roger couldn’t help the anger he felt. He’d devoted his life to protecting the farm—the source of income for all of them and particularly his mother who did nothing to help. Now she was bringing a strange man into the family business and trying to wrest control of the land. “This is just another one of her ploys to force us to sell out.”
“Samuel says he’s going to talk to Mac about our legal rights. No one ever anticipated that Hannah would want to farm.”
Mac MacKinney was their lawyer and long-time friend. “It’s good Samuel is checking the legal aspects. I’ll deal with Mother.” Oh, and he meant to do it none too gently.
“She is an heir, Roger, whether we like it or not.” Charline’s reminder was gentle.
A new plan hit Roger almost like a clap on the back. “Don’t worry, Aunt Charline. I think I can take care of this and make everyone feel good about it.”
“What do you have up your sleeve?” Charline asked.
“Just a little séance. Tonight. Tabitha can conduct it. We’ll see what our ancestors have to say about this business.” Roger wasn’t discounting the impact that a visit from Micah Malone might have on his mother. After all, Micah might be the only person Hannah had loved unselfishly. Maybe the arrival of Tabitha Kingsley into his life had been orchestrated by his guardian angels. If so, he owed them a big thank you. It was the perfect opportunity to push back against Hannah’s manipulations—but it was a lot more than that. In a very unexpected way, Roger found that Tabitha had gotten under his skin. She’d come to the Delta under false pretenses, true enough, but she wasn’t a con artist or flimflam woman; she was searching for her sister. And Roger had a bad feeling about what had happened to Trudy Wells.